


Private Tutor

by BlackbatRevolution



Series: The Complete Cranscott AU Saga [1]
Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Canon Autistic Character, Cranscott, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Tutoring, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 10:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12057111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackbatRevolution/pseuds/BlackbatRevolution
Summary: a brief look at a Nerd tutors jock love story.





	Private Tutor

 

Billy Cranston was considered one of the smartest students at Angel Grove High, being one of the smartest comes with a lot of advantages. For one the teachers and administrators trusted him to use the science lab unsupervised and used its equipment whenever he wanted, even taking some expensive equipment off campus because everyone knew that if it was in Billy Cranston’s hands it was being used to do something ingenious.

But a disadvantage of this level of favoritism and trust is having to pay it forward by doing a few hours of peer tutoring a month, some months more than others.  This time he was approached by his math teacher begging him to tutor the most difficult student he has, hoping a peer can get him interested in statistics.

 He wondered why his teacher was so adamant about this particular student, until he told him he was a football player, the star quarterback to be exact. Every member of the team has to make at least a 2.O to stay on the team. Failing a class when you were already a mediocre student was not an option. It was just like Angel Grove, the small town football obsessed town to only care about a student’s grades when he is good at tossing a ball.

Having to spend copious amounts of time with a modern day Neanderthal would usually be scary for Billy, football players not being the biggest fans of his, but this Neanderthal was Jason Scott, who doesn’t stop his friends from terrorizing the meek nerds of AGH, he doesn’t ever participate in it either which at least makes him the best of the worst.

 

                                                                                                              **Day 1.**

“Mr. Danvers was nice enough to give us a booklet to help make up your term grade and working on it will help you study for the test, a win win,” Billy informed. His positive outlook must have been annoying Jason. Well he seemed annoyed by the way he ignored Billy and lazed about in his bed.

The Quarterback huffed, not even looking up from the phone in his hands. “So how much you want to do the whole booklet?” He propositioned, while preoccupied.

Billy face scrounged up to reflect his bewilderment and confusion. “Peer tutoring is free Jason,” He reminded, completely lost to what he was suggesting.

Chuckling Jason finally glanced over at the nerd sitting at small desk in the corner of his room that he never uses. He hasn’t really looked at the kid. Yeah he saw him but kind of looked through him until this very minute. “I know the tutoring is free but I’m asking how much for you to do the booklet for me, I have some cash saved up,” He clarified, noticing Billy’s change of facial expression.

“That’s cheating Jason, I don’t want to cheat, and Mr. Danvers is counting on me!” Billy protested, his mouth hanging slightly agape and his face showing his disapproval. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jason huffed, resting down his phone, his blue mischievous eyes staring into brown condemning eyes. “It’s your time wasted when I don’t learn shit.”

“I am not kidding!” He responded, handing Jason the booklet.  A smile came to his face when Jason willingly took the booklet from his hands. “You can do this Jason! We are going to complete this booklet in time and get you ready for that test!” He declared hopefully, his smile becoming a wide grin.

Shaking his head, Jason couldn’t help return his smile, even if he didn’t share the same sentiment. “ _Whatever you say Cranston_ ,” He concedes, much to Billy’s delight.

 

**Day 3.**

 “Jason you know how to do this, I’ve seen you answer this exact question before!” Billy berated the boy sitting on his bed, glaring at his practice exam booklet.

Jason tosses the booklet across the room, flopping down onto the bed, practically tearing his hair out. “I QUIT! I’m not doing anymore.”

“Why not?” Billy puzzled, walking over to the other side of the room, picking up the booklet. “You have to pass this exam or you won’t be able to play in the final game of the season or ever again.”

“Maybe I’m tired of working on a single question that takes 40 minutes to complete, and uses up three folder sheets!”  Jason groaned and eyeing Billy on the other side of the bed, the sunlight from his bedroom window shining in, making Billy’s dark brown skin glow. “Or maybe I don’t care about football anymore. Maybe being kicked off the team will be good for me.” He muttered under his breath.

“Why wouldn’t you want to play football again?”  The concerned tutor asked, realizing more was troubling the boy than him not understanding math.  There was always this heaviness around Jason, as if he was always carrying a great load.

“I don’t know, just tired of it all I guess,” He grumbled, dismissing Billy’s concern. It was endearing that he cared but he didn’t want to burden him with all of his pointless problems. “Just let it go Billy.”

Nodding his head he agreed to ignore his comment, but he refused to let him give up on himself. “Then find another motivation because Jason, you might not graduate if you fail a class this badly,” He stated logically, walking over to Jason, sitting down on the bed next to his lazing form. “It’s just… _wasted potential_.”

The quarterback snickered, facing him. “Wasted potential huh? You sound like my third grade teacher.”

Billy smiled, a sweet closed mouth smile, looking down at the moody boy who was finally making an expression that wasn’t a scowl.  “Mrs. Green was well meaning but overbearing, I think it’s because she didn’t have kids of her own and kind of adopted us, problems and all. She was always trying to get the other kids to play with me, even if it was clear they didn’t want to,” He admitted bluntly, not seeming to realize just how sad that sounded.

“Are you sure we were in the same third grade class?” Jason chimed in, now trying to pinpoint where he had seen Billy before his math teacher introduced them.

“Yeah we were,” Billy answered, gazing into Jason’s eyes, seeing himself reflected in a smaller form. “I remember all twenty five of our classmates. It’s alright if you don’t remember. I just have a really good memory. ”

There was a silence as Jason mulled over whatever memories he has of third grade, he could not remember Billy Cranston for the life of him, and he was mad at himself for that. How could he not remember such a sweet kid?

“I should have played with you,” Jason suddenly declared, looking up at Billy sympathetically.

“What?” Billy asked, confused as to what he was talking about.

“In third grade,” He clarified, maintaining the eye contact. “I should have played with you, we could have gotten along.” There was a noticeable glimmer of guilt in his blue orbs.  “I bet you were a great kid.”

It boggled Billy’s as to why Jason would suddenly say these thing but it made him feel  warm inside, It would be nice to imagine what it would have been like if he and Jason were friends back then.“Okay, thank you…I guess.”

Seeing his confusion and awkward response Jason broke eye contact, looking down at the booklet that Billy had been rested on the bed. He regretted saying something so pointless and embarrassing. “We should get back to work,” He changed the subject.

“Yeah, let’s just finish up these pages before I have to go home,” He agreed, feeling a strange aura envelope the room since they started talking about things other than math.

 

                                                                                         **Day 6.**

With a few days of diligent studying and practice later and Jason was answering questions faster and with better accuracy. Billy was so proud of him, he knew he could do it if he put his mind to it. He wondered what was now motivating Jason?

“You got it right again Jason!”  Billy congratulated, happily clapping his hands. “You did it in almost half the time!”  He had this big toothy grin that gave Jason tingles and made his heart beat a little faster.

Jason returned the smile, with his own signature charming smile.  “Well I happen to have the best tutor in the world,” He complimented, watching Billy grow bashful.

Still smiling, Billy looked away from Jason’s intense gazed and focused on the paper, terrified of the feelings stirring within him. “It’s impossible for me to be the best Tutor in the world,” he murmured his protest.

Gazing up at him, from the bed where he was propped up on about four of his mom’s decorative pillows. “You’re the most patient tutor for sure.  Sorry for being a difficult ass on our first days,” He apologized, having thrown a few small tantrums and being much too uncooperative.

“You weren’t that bad, maybe one of the best students I’ve ever taught,” Billy flattered, putting aside the work to casually talk to Jason. It was normal for them now to veer away from tutoring to just be friends. Or Billy would really like them to be friends.

“Then you’ve really taught some idiots because I don’t know shit,” Jason said, using that self deprecating humor he tends to rely heavily on. He never expected a guy like Jason to not be an arrogant showboat.

“You know a lot!” The tutor encouraged turning his chair to face Jason.  He received a raised skeptical eyebrow; Jason was always challenging his compliments and positive assertions.  “You know enough okay,” He reiterated softly.

“Sure….”  He heard the boy mutter dejectedly, turning away from him, his cheeks growing rosy. Was Jason getting embarrassed? He had no reason to be, he pondered.

“No I mean it, you’re smart Jason Scott,” Billy stated, getting out of the chair and sitting on Jason’s bed, all through wondering if it was okay to do so.  It worked, Jason looked at him, amazed Billy even moved from the desk.  “Just lazy, unmotivated and pessimistic,” He explained frankly.

Jason could not help his smile slowly returning. “Well at least you’re honest,” he affirmed, finally giving in to being praised.

Billy grinned triumphantly. It had Jason’s heart racing and his face burning bright red. Looking at him was so embarrassing.

 

**Day 8.**

Jason and Billy interact at all outside of Jason’s room, they didn’t talk in school, they didn’t walk home together even though they were both going to Jason’s house after school and just generally avoided each other when not tutoring.

Well Jason did this, Billy would have liked if they ate lunch together, pass notes in class and walked home together, he doesn’t know why but maybe he was lonely. He had been talking to Trini and Zack, but Zack rarely came to school and Trini was a new student who was still very distant with everyone. He had acquaintances in his various clubs, but those relationships ended when he left the club room.

He yearned to be closer to Jason, maybe he wanted a friend or something more but neither was going to happen. Well that is what it felt like until Jason approached him soon after everyone that filed out of the art class, Billy stayed behind to neatly pack up his art supplies he brought from home.

“You know you do the little tongue thing when you’re focused in class too,” He mentioned, startling Billy who did not notice him walking over or that there was anyone else left the room.

“Tongue thing?” Billy asked, unable to help the way his forehead creased as he stared at the boy perplexed he was talking to him, in public.

Sticking his tongue out, a little to the side, Jason demonstrated what the “the little tongue thing” was, his tongue hanging slightly out of the corner of his mouth. 

Billy got noticeably flustered at the thought of Jason paying so much attention to him, enough to notice little quirks he didn’t even see himself doing. “I never notice I do that, should I stop? Is it uncool? When I get focused on work I kind of don’t think about how I look when I’m doing it,” He rambled awkwardly, moving his hands about.

A snort laugh escaped Jason as he watched Billy’s shift expressions within seconds, he goes through twenty expressions a second when riled up. “It’s okay Billy, just something small, cute---umm I’m sure no one else notices, or cares,” He reassured, internally chiding himself for calling another guy cute. It not was normal and he was glad no one was around.

“Oh okay,” Billy conceded, still looking up at Jason from the desk where he sat.

There was complete silence as Billy packed up his art supplies and got ready to leave, Jason still hovering nearby, watching him.

“Um…You want a ride to my house Billy? I have a pickup truck and its better than you walking or Mrs. Cranston dropping you off later,” He proposed, admiring the way Billy’s face lit up when he made the offer. He was so beautiful, Jason thought unapologetically for the first time.

“Yes, yes of course! Thank you Jason!” He exclaimed a little too loudly, a sweet smile coming to his face, lifting his round cheeks.

“Follow me,” Jason instructed, turning his back to Billy as he lead him out of the classroom. His face was burning up and he couldn’t face him until he got it under control.

                                                                                           **Day 9.**

When they are in Jason’s van they flipped the radio back and forth between the country music and the punk rock stations. They were so different but that just made things more interesting.

When there weren’t battling over what music should be played Billy talked about his dad, what fun they used to have exploring the gold mines together  and how much he missed him. The way Billy talked about something so sad, in such a nonchalant way was jarring.

Unlike Jason who felt he focused far too much on the negative aspects of his life, like ‘complaining’ about his overbearing father who puts a lot of pressure on him to succeed and his parents’ imminent divorce.

But Billy didn’t point out his ‘whining’ he just listened, eyes trained on Jason the entire time. Mid conversation about an argument he had with his dad about him skipping early morning football practice to sleep in because he was tired from studying hard that night, he noticed the way Billy was looking at him.  Had he always looked at Jason that way? There was this longing in his eyes and goofy expression on his face as if he was just happy to be near Jason.

It was very similar to the goofy look freshman girls had on their face when he talked to them, except different, it looked deeper and more meaningful when Billy did it. It was so hard for Jason to keep his eyes on the road.

He hoped and prayed that look on Billy’s face meant he returned his feelings.

 

                                                                                        **Day 10.**

“Jason you’re done!” Billy exclaimed, checking the last few questions Jason just finished. “You did it!”

“Not to be a cliché Billy but _we did it_ ,” The quarterback opined, locking eyes with the boy, who quickly broke eye contact and looked away.

The two were inches apart on the bed. Billy finally admitted the desk he was at was uncomfortable, and he and Jason had build enough of a rapport, no a friendship that he doesn’t feel awkward lying right next to him, on his bed, on his stomach as he reviewed his makeup booklet.

“The test is still up to you, the booklet will help you get a C for sure but the test can get you a B or an A,” The tutor reminded, still unable to meet the other’s gaze. Jason noticed he did this more often, shy away from eye contact.

He yearned to touch him, desperate to confess his feelings and have his feelings returned. There were some signs Billy cared for him but he wondered if he was just misinterpreting hero worship or just plain friendship.

Jason heart was a woodpecker pecking away in his chest, it physically hurt. His head swam for miles on end, only ever surfacing to admire another perfect feature on Billy’s body. Right now his full brown and pink accented lips were the only thing keeping him afloat.

Jason had to do something about this. Their days together were numbered. Billy had to know how he feels, right now, right this second.  “Hey Billy,” He calls, trying to get his attention.

“Yeah Jas—

As Billy turned towards him, Jason leaned over and captured his lips, in a sweet chaste kiss, his eyes closing as he imbues it with all of his feelings for the boy. His feelings, if taken physical form would be light coursing electricity, the kind that tingled not shocked.

Billy does not respond to the kiss.

He does not move at all.

He neither protested nor approved of Jason’s lips softly pressed against his.

Jason’s heart beat rapidly increased when he pulled away, fearing the worst as he examined Billy’s facial expression. It wasn’t utter disgust but it wasn’t rapture either.  It was just discomfort, as if he had been randomly licked by some wild animal or grotesque foreign entity.

It was disheartening.

“Why did you do that?” Was all Billy said, he was frowning, his forehead creased as it did whenever he was confused, bewildered or taken out of his comfort in anyway.

“Nothing, just… forget it okay!” Jason choked out, burying his head in his hands to keep Billy from seeing the miserable expression on his face. “Don’t tell anyone… _please_ ,” He pleaded softly, barely a whisper.

“Oh okay, I won’t,” Was all Jason heard, he refused to even look at the boy. His voice was small cracked and hallow.

“You should go. I think we’re done here.” A sharp poison dipped arrow was shot into his chest, the shot wounded the target and some poison spilled onto the archer.

“Oh...okay Jason, if you say so.”  The response was faint but the pain rang through.

Obediently, Billy backed slowly out of the room, looking back at Jason before running out of the house.  He needed to get away from Jason. He needed to get away from the horrid stinging in his eyes, the blaring sirens in his ears and the fire that scorched his throat, dry.  

But no matter how much he ran away from Jason, his house and his feelings, it followed him. Why could he not tell him all that was in his mind head?  His mind being a jungle of vines and pricks he could not weed away in the time Jason would want an answer.

 

 

**Many Days later.**

No words said, written or typed  were exchanged between the former tutor and his pupil. In short Jason and Billy never spoke to each other after that day, they saw each other many times in class, hallways and at mandatory events but communication stopped at longing, yearning glances. 

But somehow they still kept updated on each other, Billy knew that Jason had got an A on the stats exam and would be allowed to play in the big game; that made the tutor so proud, he celebrated with him, _from a distance_. Jason knew when Billy was getting picked on by Colt Wallace, pulled Colt aside behind the school and threatened to knock his teeth out if the bullying had continued.

But still the two avoided seeing each other.

Until one day after the last game of the season where Jason was hailed as the most valuable player, he was walking triumphantly from the locker room through a deserted hallway, well deserted with the exception of a figure in front of the lockers, not just any locker but Billy Cranston’s locker.

And as expected the figure in front of Billy Cranston’s locker was Billy Cranston.  Narrowing his vision the quarterback, deeply inhaled and refused to look at him, no matter how much he wanted to see his beautiful face again. _He couldn’t_. If he turned around glanced at Billy even once, he feared he would turn into a pillar of stone and stare at him forever, or more realistically for as long as permitted.

While a war wage inside Jason, between his heart and his mind, a similar turmoil was happening inside the other boy.  The difference between Billy’s intense feelings and Jason’s was it was not a volatile mixture of fear and pride but frustration at self, his own limitations, frustration at Jason and his impatience.  Jason’s feelings were a roaring uncontrollable wildfire that singed his inside while Billy’s feelings were high pressured bubbles rising and multiplying within him, waiting to burst all at the same time.    

Without fear he stared at the quarterback, who strolled by never even glancing at him, his fist clenched as he swallowed down his rising multiplying frustrations.  Brave was not something Billy Cranston was, but it was something he could be, something he could learn, if he had the right motivation.

 “I didn’t hate the kiss Jason, actually I like it! I like you! I’m sorry I can’t respond to things the way you want me to! But if you like me, the least you can do is wait for me! Wait for me to understand! Wait for me to be ready to reciprocate! If you can’t do that then you don’t really like me. Because that is who I am, I can’t change that!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, had everyone not been on the football field, had it not been way after school hours, everyone would have heard. But luckily, only Jason heard, only Jason needed to hear.

The bubbles within his stomach all burst at the same time, it was illogical to think this way but with the way his chest rapidly rose and fell, the bubbles were filled with air. He gasped, just short of hyperventilating. But he did it, he was finally able to verbalize his feelings. 

With his back turned to Billy, several feet away, Jason stopped mid stride.

He paused, as if contemplating all he had heard.

He turns around.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this comment or give a kudo, this might be the backstory for a large more indepth Jock secretly dates Nerd Cranscott story I'm working on. The more support, the more fuel I have to write.


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